Berlin: Austria took what its leader called the dramatic" step Monday of implementing a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people who haven't recently had COVID-19, perhaps the most drastic of a string of measures being taken by European governments to get a massive regional resurgence of the Coronavirus under control.
The move, which took effect at midnight, prohibits people 12 years old and older who haven't been vaccinated or recently recovered from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going for a walk or getting vaccinated.
The lockdown is initially being imposed until Nov 24 in the Alpine country of 8.9 million. It doesn't apply to children under 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated though the capital, Vienna, on Monday opened up vaccinations for under-12s as part of a pilot, and reported high demand.